Mornings are definitely "my time" to prepare for my day. I thrive when I have routine and structure: I get up between 4 and 5AM so I am literally trading sleep so I can have time for things that are important to me. I'd like to do more in the morning (gratitude, meditation and yoga come to mind) but I do what's most important to me. Here's my ritual:

I don't snack between meals out of discipline so I eat my breakfast at once: grapefruit, protein shake with greens, low carb protein bar. Take AM vitamins and supplements.

Read and prioritize my to-dos before getting down to work around 7:30AM.

Enjoyed the YouTube video. Some of his rituals and mantras I've heard before from motivational speakers before. I think they're good for people who are really stuck in a low-energy state but not necessarily the best use of time for self-starters.

I love to drive so very rarely I will treat myself and break routine: get up at 3 or 4 and go for a drive on some of Silicon Valley's twisty roads.

Ideally, I do all of these things. If I sleep in (since I don't use an alarm) I have to pick and choose.

1. While still in bed, I spin around to do a sort of inversion where my legs are flat against the wall and I lay my body flat on the bed with my arms behind my head along the bed (an "L" shape). In this position I take deep breaths/meditate for 5 minutes. It gets the blood flowing to my brain and gives me good energy to get up on the right side of the bed.

2. Then, get a big glass of filtered water & start drinking while I begin my floor stretches for 5-10 minutes.

3. Qi Gong at least 15 minutes.

4. A Walk Away the Pounds,about a mile, nothing strenuous.

5. Epsom Salt bath or tea tree shower ( I use exfoliating gloves)

6. Hair, makeup, whatever

7. I'll either juice fruits and veggies or a make a smoothie (acai/banana/coconut milk is my favorite), depending on whether I need more cleansing or protein. I drink this on the way to work.

8. Grapeseed Extract - amazing supplement

9. Pack stuff for work and on my way there I don't listen to the radio...I look like I'm talking to myself to passers by because I'm saying things I'm grateful for nonstop all the way to work (25 min) and when I park my car, I pray before getting out.

10. I kindly greet the people I meet even if it's insincere.

11. Take the 8 flights of stairs up as opposed to the elevator to my office and begin drinking more water as I start the work day.

*When I do these things I have legendary days :-) Thanks for asking and I hope you can take something from this.

Hah, no joke! It needs streamlining. I begin at 6 & leave the house at 7:30. Usually choose from one or two: stretches, Qi Gong or walking. Or, decrease the time to 5 min each. Even with those adjustments, I'm still regularly late to work by about 10 minutes due to my extensive self care regimen ;). So, I've tried going to bed earlier but that doesn't make a difference.

I drink a protein shake immediately, do 40 mins of yin yoga while studying German, then go to the gym, then eat breakfast, and then I am ready to head off to my office job. That is my aim for most mornings and generally I get it right

I been trying to eat within 30 minutes of waking, drinking a full glass of ice cold water, and taking cold showers as well. Those things speed up my metabolism, accelerates weight loss, and promotes lean muscle growth. Lastly, caffeine!

Inspire myself with blog posts like this (~0-60 minutes, depending on how I feel that morning)

Start with first big thing of the day

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Note: I havent been doing this in the last couple weeks, and I notice how much worse off I feel in the mornings. ONce you've got a great morning routine, keep doing it every single day until it's complete habit. And travel proof it, so you can do it anywhere.